Winter at Hogwarts
by ryo-oki-cabbit
Summary: The secrets revealed to Harry in OotP changed his life. But his life was already far from normal, Headmaster Dumbledore isn't the only one keeping secrets at Hogwarts. No ship so far. Powerful Harry.
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter does not belong to me, though I wish I did!

Chapter One

It was the beginning of the winter holidays at Hogwarts. The weather outside was icy, billows of sleet hammered at the windows and cold winds howled in the dungeons. Some of the deeper corridor we even covered in a treacherous sheen of ice. Luckily for the Slytherins none had remained, all had returned to the comforts of their pureblood homes. The only person left was Professor Snape, he preferred the deserted dungeons, even in the bitter cold, no blasted children to disturb his precious experiments, for he felt none but he could appreciate the beauty of a simmering potion, that, with time,

could achieve what many spells could not.

Not just the Slytherins had left; almost all students had deserted the castle for the holidays. The imminent threat of He-who-must-not-be-named just around the corner had caused most to leave for the perceived safety of their homes and loving families. The Christmas spirit had yet to sink in at Hogwarts, though the holidays had started. The gloom of war loomed on the horizon threatening to engulf the wizarding world.

In the Gryffindor common room one student remained sitting hunched by the fire, answering to the name of Harry Potter. This boy, now a man in everything but age, sat contemplating his first term back at school following the death of his godfather, Sirius Black. Most of the school had not understood his aloof nature throughout the term. Those present at the Department of Mysteries could only begin to perceive the emotions flashing through the man's mind. His two best friends, both bearing their own scars from that night had wisely left him alone to work through it. They were still rather wary of his explosive temper, even though it had not shown itself once that term.

The fact that he still seemed to be grieving even after the holidays worried the headmaster, but he was unsure as to how to approach him. The events in his office at the end of last year had alienated him to the boy. Harry would not even meet his eyes during meal times, preferring to sit alone at the Gryffindor table and observe the goings on of the houses.

No one but Harry knew what he was really thinking. His mind was far from thoughts of his godfather, though he missed him. He had realised during his imprisonment at the Dursley's, for that's what he thought of it, that Sirius would want him to be happy and not mope on his behalf. Also the fact that much deep thinking revealed that Voldemort himself, not to mention Bellatrix Lestrange we responsible for his death. Therefore he had realised some of his own secrets could not become known before the death of Voldemort, for he had _no_ intention of losing! The distraction that would come of this information being known would only encourage the Dark Lord to push harder to gain Harry in his grasp and though more powerful than everyone realised, he did not yet have the experience to vanquish the evil creature.

None were there to witness the smile that crossed Harry's lips, nor the fire that lit in his emerald eyes. Seeing as it was the holidays and he was the only student remaining at Hogwarts, he felt he could relax a little and enjoy the gifts he was born with. With that he got up and headed for the door to the common room, supper would be starting soon and the Headmaster would expect him to be there so he could keep an eye on him.

'_Well, they can certainly try'_ He thought with a small smirk.

Hi this is ryo-oki here! This is my first fic, so any creative criticism is appereciated. Please don't flame for the sake of flaming.


	2. Chapter 2

HP is still not mine sigh

Chapter 2

Harry strode into the Great Hall, unknowingly imitating the feared potions master in the way his robes billowed as he moved.

The Hall was decorated around the walls with mighty Christmas trees attempting to bring some joy to the nearly empty room, save for the single table where Harry would be forced to dine with the remaining professors at Hogwarts. Some professors had stayed such as Dumbledore and Snape. Professor Sprout had also remained to tend the greenhouses throughout the bitter cold and Trelawny was bundled away in her tower rarely coming down to dine with the others. Professor McGonagall had also remained, seeing as only a student from her house had remained over the Christmas period.

Finally the diminutive Charms Professor, Flitwick, had remained in order to attempt to restore his classroom to a semblance of order. This was due to an over-zealous first year's attempt at a temporary duplicating charm in the last lesson. Where he sprayed a large section of the classroom in a rainbow of colours as a result of mispronouncing plura (many) for pluvial (rainbow). The colours turned out to impossible to remove with Filches' standard magical cleaners and had in turn told the little professor that he could clean it himself and stormed of muttering about bringing back thumbscrews for unruly students.

Harry sat down at the small table in a swirl of robes and waited for the Professors to make an appearance. He wanted to get away as soon as possible from this meal what with the close scrutiny that would come to pass during these meals from Snape and Dumbledore. He could feel the shirt beneath his robes slowly becoming worryingly tight, this was a bad sign his glamories were wearing away from the ambient magic present at Hogwarts, and the fact that he had not taken off the charms since the beginning of term, meant they were coming apart at the seams, as would his shirt if he didn't get out any time soon. Luckily his robes hid the changes and only the most observant would notice he was an inch or two taller than usual and somewhat wider about the shoulder.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the Professors entered the hall in a group discussing something or someone. Harry briefly picked up his name with his heightened hearing before Dumbledore noticed Harry's presence and went silent as did the others present.

They all took seats, Headmaster Dumbledore at the head of the table, while McGonagall sat next to Harry, looking most places but him. Finally Snape seated himself as far away from Harry has possible and glared at him in a manner that said he would prefer to be dead and cremated than sitting at the same table as Potter, before looking away. Finally Dumbledore rose again smiling jovially, with his customary twinkle in his eyes, though it seemed slightly dimmer than last year.

"Since Hogwarts is so quiet this holidays I felt that the remaining student should not feel ignored. Since most of us know him well I felt it fitting that he join us at this table and not be left out of our conversations. Welcome Harry, we hope you can provide is with some interesting conversations this holiday!" With that Dumbledore clapped his hands twice and the plates on the table filled with food for those present.

Snape's scowl grew more pronounced at this as he turned back to Potter and noticed with his sharp eyes that he appeared slightly broader than usual, he was not Dumbledore's only spy amongst the Dark Lord's forces for nothing!

'_Damn, Dumbledore!' _pondered Harry _'Spouting off reasons for keeping his twinkly eyes on me, I'll have to be more careful than I thought this holiday.'_

Yet Dumbledore was not the one Harry should have been watching at that moment as he tucked into his meal. One highly observant ex-Death Eater was watching him with a shrewd gaze, attempting to work out how Potter had changed in the few hours since he last saw him in the corridors.

Surprisingly the meal carried on without incident, though the silence seemed slightly eerie. No one seemed willing to broach a subject with a student present since none of the amusing anecdotes of the past term could be discussed with him there.

Near the end of the meal Harry was starting to get uncomfortable, the glamorie was wearing away more quickly than he had thought it would. It appeared that once it started to fade it caused a cascade effect that only made it go at an exponentially faster rate. He could feel his feet getting tight in his trainers and his shirt become tighter still as his torso broadened.

Only Professor Snape, who was mystified by what was happening to the Potter brat, witnessed this. Watching Potter's expression showed that he was not letting on about him knowing about his altering physique. He could see if he looked carefully that the boys height appeared to have jumped by about an inch since he sat down, yet none of his associated had noticed (none were his friends, for he did not see the point in them).

Finally finishing and appearing calm to those present, apart from the suspicious potions master, Harry rose before the others had finished. Allowing a small smile to grace his features but not reach his eyes, he said

"Thank you for allowing me to attend your meal, but if you will excuse me I have homework that needs to be started so I can enjoy this holiday properly."

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, nodded his head and returned his attention to a particularly succulent lemon tart he was demolishing. Harry knowing that he was dismissed turned and left the Great Hall, with the eyes of Snape burning into his back. Severus watched Potter's gait as he left, eyes narrowing as he saw the tiny limp that accompanied every step, indicating too small footwear. Now utterly intrigued by the mystery surrounding the cursed Gryffindor, he waited a suitable amount of time before standing and with a slight nod to Albus striding from the room in the direction of the Entrance Hall where the brat had headed.


	3. Chapter 3

Still not mine sigh

Chapter 3

When Snape reached the Entrance he could find no trace of the blasted boy. That is until he cast a spell he frequently used while patrolling the corridors late at night. Students always pondered over their hated Professor's uncanny ability to detect and find most curfew breakers, many rumours were flung about such as him being part vampire and having a heightened sense of smell to find his next victims blood. They would have been disappointed to learn then that he simply cast a spell that showed the tracks of people that had recently passed making their shoeprints glow red against the stonework.

Currently Snape was looking with slight horror and annoyance as the shoeprints in front of him lead from where he was standing and moved towards the main doors out, another point of interest in passing was that as they passed through the doors to the courtyard the shoeprints became footprints. Footprints that were at least two sizes _larger_ than the shoes they had been in.

Snape was now beginning to worry (if that was possible where Potter was concerned). It was a possibility that someone had kidnapped Potter and polyjuiced into him at the end of the term in order to prevent the discovery. He considered telling Albus, but changed his mind as he thought of the large-scale panic it would cause. He refused to give the brat anymore special attention, especially if it turned out to be a false alarm, or something else unimportant. Snape wondered how many points he could remove from Gryffindor for being forced to go out into the cold winters night to bring back Dumbledore's Golden Boy, a lot he hoped, for he had almost given up on getting the boy expelled. A malicious smile crossed his face as he walked, robes billowing, out into the freezing cold night, following the footprints in the snow, he suddenly stopped short though, smile turning to a frown, the footprints continued on into the Forbidden Forest.


	4. Chapter 4

Still not mine sigh

Chapter 4

Now even Snape was beginning to worry, not about the boy but what Albus would say if he returned without the brat. The longer Potter was in the Forbidden Forest the greater the likelihood that he would not come out again, at least in one piece.

Snape hissed in irritation, he was cold and wet even with the warming charms he had cast. At least the snow was unable to penetrate the think canopy of the trees above, but it didn't prevent the biting wind from blasting among the trees and through the Professor's robes. He had also ventured into the Forest multiple times before to search for obscure potions ingredients at varying times of day and night. Though he did not know the forest as well as Hagrid, he was certain he could track down the irritating child and drag him back to the warmth of Dumbledore's office before he was noticed to be missing.

With an angry sneer set on his snarky face Snape headed into the forest, following the footprints.

Now Snape would be the first to admit that he was an excellent tracker, he had to be in order to remain alive. Yet at this moment it time he was baffled, though he did not let it show. He had fooled the signs of Potter for at least a kilometre into the forest when they had suddenly disappeared as if they never existed. The being that possibly was Potter could not have apparated since he was underage and was still within the wards of Hogwarts, yet he was clueless as to where to go now. Severus stood from his crouched position over the last track and turned around. He found himself looking at unfamiliar trees with no recognisable path in sight. Snape cursed himself for the fact that he had become so distracted by finding traces of the boy that he had no idea where he was.

Suddenly he heard a sharp crack to his right. Wondering if the noise had been Potter standing on a branch he headed over to see. There was nothing he could immediately discern to have made the noise as he came upon a strange clearing in the trees. He walked to the centre of the area where no wind blew but the snowflakes came down from the velvet black sky to rest on his dark robes. He heard a rustling in front of him and drew his wand. It had just occurred to him that, like a foolish Gryffindor, he had rushed into the forest without letting anyone know where he was and without a thought for the hungry predators stalking the forest in this deep dark winters night.

Further rustling came, but this time from his left, keeping his eyed moving from place to place he carefully started backed up to where he had entered. As he moved he heard dual growls coming from the bushes. Two dark shapes entered the snow covered clearing, Snape briefly flashed back to his days in Care of Magical Creatures and identified the creatures as shadow wolves. The same size as a normal wolf, shadow wolves though appeared to be merely dark shadows unless illuminated by something bright, such as the white snow these two creatures now crossed. They started to circle Snape one on each side to prevent his escape. Severus was at a loss for what to do, he remembered these creatures were proofed against a lot magics, he was unwilling to cast an Unforgivable due to still being within the wards as they would be easily traced back to him. Usually running away or physical strength was the only way to overcome them and Snape was no Hagrid!

The one behind him growled, distracting him long enough for the one in font to pounce at his throat. Severus rolled to the side barely in time, the wolf still managed to shred the sleeve of his robe and create some shallow gashes along his arm. This unexpected manoeuvre by their prey had left Snape close to a tree at the edge of the clearing. With shivering hands, for the cold was beginning to numb his fingers through the charms, he shouted a hex at the feet of the nearest wolf, casing the sitting snow to spray up temporarily blinding the wolf. Turning he sprinted towards the tree he risked a glance behind him to see the more distant wolf bearing down on him. Severus reached the tree, but could find no way to climb it! He turned his back to the trunk and closed his eyes waiting for the pain, the embarrassment was there somewhere in the back of his mind, dying by these creatures looking for Potter of all people!

Yet the pain never came as he felt large hands reach around him and pull him out the way just in time. The wolf's jaws only came down upon his robes which were torn as easily as tissue paper. Severus opened his eyes in time to see he was being hoisted easily onto the branched of the tree. He did not have time to see the face of his saviour as he had spun round to face the angered wolves.

Then proceeded one of the shortest fights Severus had witnessed. The man, for he appeared to be one, grappled one of the wolves easily as it leapt at him clamping its jaws around his arm. He threw it into the trunk of a tree knocking it out, possibly killing it. The other one clearly cowed by the size of the 'man' turned and slunk back off into the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

Still not mine sigh

Chapter 5

Snape realising the danger had passed looked down and found himself to be a good 10-foot up the tree much to his surprise. He turned his attention back to the large man that still had his back turned. It was not Hagrid he could tell, though he had the same staggering height he did not have the width. He was more willowy and graceful, lacking the short scraggy hair of the groundskeeper it was long and silky cascading down the man's back in midnight waves.

Finally the figure spoke in a deep gentle voice that lulled the professor.

"A strange time to be wandering the forest professor, are you alright?"

Along with coldness eating into his bones, Severus could be forgiven for looking dozily as the man turned to face him. The sleep was swept from his mind in an instant though as he took in the features of the man in front of him. As before mentioned his height was intimidating as Snape found himself barely looking down from the branch to see his face. The long silky looking waves of black hair caressed the sides of his face tumbling down to the man's mid back. His face was aristocratic with high cheekbones and an aquiline nose that spoke of roman times. His eyes were his most arresting feature though, they seemed to be a mix of emerald and gold, constantly moving, never melding in a movement like the tide, they were mesmerising.

Snape took this all in at once and suddenly found it hard to keep his balance on the branch, the enchanting eyes combined with the blood loss from his arm and the cold left him feeling quite woozy. He barely registered the arms that caught him as he toppled from the branch, or the warm cloak that was hastily wrapped around him. He managed to catch one last glance of the eyes looking at him in a worried fashion before the world seemed to fade out into black and then nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Harry Potter cursed to himself as he looked down at the greasy, skinny and unconscious professor in his arms. He was sure that he had sent his simulacrum back to the Gryffindor tower, he always did, it was automatic after all these months of creating it, after painstakingly researching about it in secret. Somehow leaving the ever-observant Hermione none the wiser on his illicit research. So how had Snape realised he had come here and not followed his duplicate? He wondered if the Gods somewhere were having a good laugh at his expense or whether he had somehow brought this upon himself. For two years he had kept his secret, looking back maybe he had been lucky it lasted that long. There had to be some way to protect his secret, he wasn't about to announce to the wizarding world what he was.

A slight motion from the figure in his arms brought Harry back to Earth, looking carefully and concernedly at the Potions Master he identified the shallow cuts along his lower arm, one gash coming perilously close to the Dark Mark, revealed by the torn sleeves of his robes. He was also worryingly cold. Harry was less affected by the chilly weather, his transfigured school robes saw to that. He knew he had to get Snape back to Hogwarts, but how? In his natural state he could easily carry him, but that would lead to questions he didn't necessarily want to answer. He would barely be able to lift the Professor in his glamouried state, so that was not an option.

He realised standing still was not going to do Snape any good. So, wrapping his cloak securely around the professor, he started off through the forest, heading back to Hogwarts in large strides ducking low branches as he went. He was cradling Snape like a child, bundled up in the cloak he had hastily conjured. An idea came to him as he walked.

It was likely that his duplicate was still in the Gryffindor tower, he had not received the usual indication when it faded. Potentially he could pretend that he and Harry Potter were separate entities and he had happened across Snape in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, when he had followed his tracks in the mistaken thought that Mr. Potter had wandered off. The fact that his simulacrum was still in the tower and could be controlled remotely would aid him greatly. In fact he was only worried about Professor Dumbledore, being the canny candy loving man that he was, finding holes in his otherwise suitable plan. There were other factors such as why he was in the Forbidden Forest and what his alter ego's name was, but he knew with a small smile, that he could handle those. Another reason occurred to him.

Harry himself had long been yearning for a way to escape the confines of his midget glamour, the cramps from it were getting worse since he had reached his final height of 9' 11", the magic taken to maintain it was not so serious since it took a mere fraction of his true power. But as the textbook he had found on the subject stated, the further the glamour from the true appearance of the person, the more uncomfortable it became. The possibility of having to remain with it on for the entire summer at the hell-on-Earth known as the Dursley's made him shudder. There was a certain possibility here to dispose with Harry Potter's persona and adopt a new one, as long as Harry could be removed in a suitable manner… For now though Harry Potter and Severus Snape's current saviour would have to remain in the same building as ingeniously separate people.

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As Harry crossed the boundaries separating the Forbidden Forest from the orderly manicured lawns of Hogwarts he saw a light glowing in the window of Hagrid's cabin. This would be the perfect place to start getting Severus help and would begin his new life, _hopefully_. Approaching the door, and noticing with humour that it was the right size for him now, used one foot to kick lightly at the door. A strange whining occurred from within, along with some heavy footsteps.

Hagrid opened the door already looking down at the average wizard's height. What he did not expect to see was the broad torso of a person his size, slowly raising his eyes, and eyebrows at the sight of Professor Severus Snape wrapped up in the man's arms, they can to rest on the fine features of a stranger that looked him evenly in the eyes. He narrowed his beetle black eyes at the man in question, then peered worriedly at the unconscious professor in his arms. Finally he asked in a slightly accusing tone.

"Wha's' 'appened to the professor. Wha'ave you done to 'im?"

"My good half-giant, I am merely returning him home, I found him lost in the Forbidden Forest and surrounded by Shadow wolves. Now if you would be so kind as to show me where I can find some medical attention I would be most grateful."

Hagrid narrowed his dark eyes further at the man

"Who are ye'? Wha' are ye'? An' wha' where ye' doin in the Forbidden Forest to begin with?"

"All in good time sir, but it is of more pressing matter to get this man aid. I fear he has the beginnings of hypothermia and the wolves also mauled him. He will get worse if he doesn't get help soon. Now direct me where to go!" Harry said, rapidly losing patience with the suspicious half giant.

Hagrid nodded slowly, looking with down at the figure cocooned in Harry's long cloak.

"Follow me then, an' no wandrin' off while inside the castle." With that Hagrid bent down to pick up his lantern to better light the way up to the school doors. And with large strides easily followed by Harry they trudged across the snow covered lawns up to the main front door. Hagrid paused before opening the door and turned to Harry. "Wha's your name then? I can' jus' call yeh mister."

Harry smiled at his unknowing friend.

"My name is Nova, Aristo Nova."


End file.
